Steering-gear.



Patented Jan.- 7, I902.

P. n. WHITE. STEERING GEAR.

' (Application filed May 27, 19Q1.)

(m5 mm.)

ls PETERS 00., FHOTO- LITHO., WASHXNUTOM n. 61-

1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. 7

PAUL H. WHITE, or INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR To THE WHITE STEAM WAGON COMPANY, 0 INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, A CORPORA- TION OF INDIANA.

STEERING-GEAR.

SFECIFIGATION forining part of Letters Patent No. 690,802, dated January 7, 1962.

Application filed May 27, 1901. Serial No. 62,037. (No model.)

To a, whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, PAUL H. WHITE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Steering-Gear, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvemeutin the steering-gear of that class of vehicles having the Ackerman steering system,in which the steering-wheels are independently supported upon vertical axes on theaxle.

The object of my invention is to provide means for shifting the steering-wheels to any desired position and rigidly holding them at any point by means which will transmit the thrust of the wheels directly to the axle and of such character as to allow adjustment thereof by means carried by the vehicle-body, the arrangement being such that the connection with the steering-gear will not be disturbed by the relative movement between the axle and body.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention.

Figure 1 is a plan. Fig. 2 is a side elevation. Fig. 3 is a section on line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4: is a sectional detail.

In the drawings, 5 indicates the axle, provided at each end with a yoke 6, in which is pivotally supported upon a vertical axis the usual stub-axle 7, adapted to receive a wheel. Each stub-axle 7 is provided in the usual manner with an operating-arm 8, and the ends of said arms are connected together by a link 9. Pivoted upon a vertical axis to one of the arms 8 is a nut 10, adapted to receiv'e'the threaded end 11 of a shaft 12, to which is secured a sprocket or gear 13. The opposite end of shaft 12 is rotatably mounted in a block l4,provided with vertical spindles 14', which spindles are.

revolubly supported in ears 15 and 15, formed integral with or secured to the axle 5. Shaft 12 is provided with apair of eollars'16 and 16, which lie upon opposite sides of block 14 and transmit the thrust thereto. In order that the thrust of shaft 12 may be transmitted in a direct line to the axle, said axle has its middle portion substantially in the same plane as the shaft 12, and for convenience in manufacture the ear 15 is formed integral with the axle, while the ear 15 is bolted thereto.

It will be readily noticed that, if desired, the nut 10 may be pivot-edupon a vertical axis upon the axle and the shaft 12 connected to one of the arms 8 by means of the block 14 and spindles 14, said construction being a mere reversal of the constructionjillustrated and being its fullequivalent. Such an arrangement, however, would be subject to the objection that thesprocket would have a considerable horizontal movement due to the axial movement of the shaft.

In operation the stub-axles 7 may be swung simultaneously about their vertical axes by rotating shaft 12 in one direction or the other, the rotation of said rod shifting nutllO thereon, and thus swinging the arms 8. The rotation of shaft 12 may be accomplished by means of a chain 17 passing over suitable idlers 18 and 19 to an operating-wheel 20, carried by the vehicle-body, '(not shown,) or any other suitable means maybe employed.

I claim as my, invention 1.- In a steering-gear, the combination with the axle, of a stub-axle pivoted thereto, a threaded shaft, and a threaded nut coacting therewith, one pivotally connected to the stubaxle and the other pivotally connected to the axle, and means for causing a relative rotation between the nut and shaft.

2. In a steering-gear, the combination with the axle, of a pair of stubaxles independently pivoted thereon, a link connecting the two stub-axles, a threaded shaft, and a threaded nut coactiug therewith, one pivotally connected to one of the stub-axles and the other pivotally connected to the axle, and means for causing a relative. rotation between the nut the axle upon an axis parallel to the pivotal axis of the stub-axle, and means for rotating said shaft.

4. In a steering-gear, the combination with the axle, of a pair of stub-axles independently pivoted thereon, an operating-arm carried by each of said stub-axles, a link connecting said stub-axles, a threaded nut pivoted upon one of said operating-arms upon an axis parallel to the axes of said stub-axles, a threaded shaft coacting with said nut and pivotally connected to the axle upon an axis parallel to the axes of the stub-axles, and means for rotating said shaft.

5. In a steering-gear, the combination with the axle, of a stub-axle pivoted thereon, an operating-arm carried by said stub-axle, a bearing-block pivoted upon the axle upon an axis parallel to the axis of the stub-axle, a threaded nut pivoted upon said operatingarrn upon an axis parallel to the axis of the stub-axle, a threaded shaft revolubly mounted in the bearing-block and coacting with the nut, and means for rotating said shaft.

6. In a steering-gear, the combination with the axle, of a pairof stub-axles independently pivoted thereon, a link connecting the two stub-axles, an operating-arm carried by each of said stulraxles, a'bearing-block. pivoted upon the axle upon an axis parallel to the axes of the stub-axles, a threaded nut pivoted upon one of said operating-arms upon an axis parallel to the axes of the stub axles, a threaded shaft revolubl y mountedin the bearing-block and coacting with the nut, and means for rotating said shaft.

PAUL I-I. WHITE.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR H. H001), FRANK A. FAHLE. 

